The National: New Australian Art

cover image by alan griffiths, bali balibalga 2016

words by ben stephens

There is very little that excites us like the first week of a new art exhibition in our Harbour City. A treasure trove of unseen art or pieces that you have been eagerly waiting to see in person. As the leaves slowly turn brown and the seasons swiftly change, the showcasing art at Sydney’s premier art haunts flow suit.

The biggest exhibition to hit Sydney since Biennale ’16, we would like to welcome you to the opening week of The National: New Australian Art.

This exhibition will pull your focus to new works of the Australian contemporary art scene and the range of mediums that make up the genre.

The National will be spread through the city, taking in the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Carriageworks in Eveleigh. The spread of the exhibitions, ties the whole showcase together as they each play a pivotal role in bringing The National to life and creating a corridor of art, from the harbour, city and the inner west fringe.

[Sneak peek] The culturally universal shape of a smile. Part of @nellartist's new work presented in ‘The National 2017: New Australian Art’. Opens this Thursday, 30 March… #NationalAU Nell, ‘With things being as they are …’ (detail) 2017, image courtesy the artist, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery and Station Gallery © the artist.

A post shared by MCA Australia (@mca_australia) on Mar 26, 2017 at 1:47pm PDT

If this spread sounds eerily similar, that’s because it rings close to how the Sydney Biennale runs. Speaking of which, The National will be running during the alternative years to the Biennale.

This will ensure that Sydney is guaranteed as massive art exhibition to at least 2021. Which is damn fine news if you enjoy yourself a spot of mind-boggling art once in a while.

Over the coming weeks, QTLIFE, will be showcasing each location and letting you know what you can expect from each.

The National: New Australian Art is taking over Sydney from March 30 until mid June.